The present invention relates to a passive-type solar device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a passive-type solar device which effectively causes introduction of sunrays to the interior of a building; permits control of the amount of solar heat to be received indoors; and also provides a natural lighting of a room.
For indoor swimming facilities which have a substantial thermal storage capacity, a conventional solar collector system, of the type illustrated in FIG. 1, has been used as a means to absorb solar heat effectively and thereby raise the temperature of the pool water. Such a system generally comprises a heat-collector 1 mounted on a roof of a building, a pump 2 to circulate the refrigerant heated by the collector 1, a heat exchanger 3 connected to the refrigerant-circulatory system, and another pump 5 linking the heat exchanger 3 with the heated swimming pool 4.
A solar system of this character is effective for warming the water of a pool, but is inefficient in raising the temperature of a room and indoor surface walls thereof. Another drawback to this system is that it does not permit natural light to enter the room.
As a means for raising the temperature of a room and indoor surface walls effectively, a passive-type solar collector has been customarily employed. FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional solar collector of this type which consists of a heat-accumulating member 7 made of concrete or the like and set inside the window of a building. According to this system the sunrays passing through a window glass 8 strike heat-accumulating member 7 so that the solar heat accumulates therein and radiation heat therefrom warms the room.
Such passive-type solar collector, however, has a drawback in that the heat-accumulating member 7 does not permit light to pass therethrough nor does it allow sunlight to enter the building interior. Furthermore, such heat accumulating member 7 does not function to prevent heat loss, especially in a cloudy winter day when the indoor heat transfers through the window glass due to cold radiation, cold draft, or overall heat transmission.
The present invention is to eliminate the above defects. The primary object of the present invention is to provide a passive-type solar device which makes it possible to introduce sunlight to the interior of a building directly and effectively so that it may warm same and the water of a swimming pool located therein; to control the amount of solar heat to be absorbed indoors depending on the change of weather, seasons, day, and night; to provide natural lighting to the interior; and further to reduce loss of radiation heat.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a heat-insulating board for a passive-type solar collector, which is effective in heat-insulation and therefore can reduce indoor heat loss, and also does permit sunlight to enter into a room.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a heat-insulating board for a passive-type solar collector which operates to reduce heat loss, especially in a cloudy winter day due to cold radiation, cold draft and overall heat transmission, and also allows sunlight to enter a room.
To achieve the above objects, the passive-type solar device according to the present invention essentially consists of a transparent board set in the roof of a building angled to the vertical for accepting sun rays, a reflecting film curtain disposed beneath the transparent board and which is adapted for opening and closing, and a light-transmittable, heat-insulating board which is disposed beneath the reflecting film curtain and is also adapted for opening and closing. The heat-insulating board for a passive-type solar collector of the present invention is comprised of a plurality of board components of honeycomb material of predetermined thickness with the opposite surfaces thereof being covered by a transparent plate and with such components being arranged in spaced apart relationship with an intervening air layer of predetermined thickness.